Holly is a symbol of goodwill and joy. In the Victorian language of flowers, holly means foresight. Holly is seen as a symbol of good luck in both Christianity and Islam. But most importantly for me, it is said that disputes are often solved "under the holly tree"

stat counter

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Why was this radical Saudi anti-female cleric invited to the US?

His name is "Sheikh Ayed Al-Qarni" He was invited here and sponsored by Islamic Relief USA whose director, Belkacem Nahi lamented the thousands of dollars lost on hotel rooms for the various events he had been scheduled to speak at in this article in Arabic (Run it through Language Tools for simple translation) .

He says Belkacem Nahi Coordinator Development of the Organization of your Islam reliving in an interview for "Elaph": "" We feel regret bitterly to prevent Sheikh Ayed Al-Qarni of attendance for charity ceremony which will be held in the states of Washington, DC and California and New Jersey, Chicago, and all the sons of the Muslim community spread in the United States was a great longing to meet him. "

The organization spent your Islam reliving tens of thousands of dollars to rent rooms in plush hotels U.S. where he planned Qarni delivering his speeches in front of the crowd.

According Belkacem Nahi that "his organization has invited to the sons of the Muslim community in America because they know the weight of the volume of Sheikh Al-Qarni Islamic as an advocate large and unpopular massive, has been renting rooms within months hotels U.S. and room for five thousand people in the lecture" one, adding that being Muslim Reliving has lost all financial and insurance developed in order to book those halls after the ban.

Al-Qarni was denied entry by Homeland Security. Islamic Relief's attorneys failed to successfully intervene on his behalf. CAIR's Nihad Awad also stated that CAIR was willing to offer their legal services on Al-Qarni's behalf should he request.

"We defend all Muslims who are exposed to arbitrary measures In this sense we But we will not officially Ntraf but Ada got agency thereof. "

No doubt Al-Qarni was not denied entry due to his stance on women driving, However Islamic Relief and MSA-ICNA both had this "sheikh" scheduled to speak at their events that stated the following in regards to why the women of Saudi Arabia should not be allowed to drive:

“One: I do not see women driving cars in our country because of the consequences that would spring from it such as the spread of corruption, women uncovering their hair and faces, mingling between the sexes, men being alone with women and the destruction of the family and society in whole.

“Two: Sadd Al-Dharaie principle (the closing of doors which could lead to corruption or sinful actions) is one of the values in our religion. Women driving cars is a sinful thing. It is used by those who want to wage a war against purity and hijab.

“Three: One of the principles of our religion is protecting honor and moral values. Women driving cars would threaten these principles because of the dire consequences resulting from it.

“Four: Such public issues must be brought up with the certified religious institution who have the say in such matters as I have said many times before.”

On the website for the MSA-ICNA event Al-Qarni's "bio" was posted without one word regarding his stance on women. LINK.

When his visit was denied they posted THIS announcement. Again, without a word regarding his "sheik's" stance on women driving in Saudi Arabia where it is these very clerics who speak such words about women.

"Sheikh" Al-Qarni was also scheduled to speak at THIS Islamic Relief event Jan. 30

My open question to the above entities is very simple, why would a Saudi cleric who has this stance on women be invited as a guest to the United States to speak at several events, thousands of dollars spent on him?

Is this something that any of the above entities wish their interfaith partners (which are many) to know? Why on God's green Earth would this man who is an integral member of the very apparatus that oppresses Saudi women be sponsored by Islamic Relief, invited to speak by MSA-ICNA and defended by CAIR simply because he is Muslim?